New body camera footage and information released by Phoenix Police on March 8 show that the 41-year-old man who died after being chased by officers may not have been injured.
However, questions remain about the death of Deryn Holmes. He died from a gunshot wound on his February 22nd. Phoenix police initially said he died during a shooting involving officers. But according to details released last week, police said Holmes died in a self-inflicted shooting.
By 2023, officers in the department had shot six people dead, including one on the same day as Holmes.A seventh man was pinned to the ground and handcuffed by multiple officers in February. I fell to my knees and died.
The agency’s new head, Michael Sullivan, has stressed de-escalation and is trying to lead the agency through a broad federal investigation into the use of force and other issues.
New Details Revealed in Two Police Shootings
On March 8, the Phoenix Police Department released body camera footage and dispatch audio clips related to Holmes’ death in what the agency calls a “major case briefing.” The video has been edited and does not contain the full footage or audio of the incident. The department typically takes months to complete recording requests for unedited body camera footage.
At a briefing on Holmes’ death, an agency spokesperson said police were dispatched to respond to reports of assaults on 23rd Street and Glendale Avenue. As officers searched for the suspect, two Holmes jumped over a fence. Phoenix Police spokesperson Robert Scherrer said. phoenix new times In an email that Holmes was later identified as a suspect in an assault case.
According to the footage, two police officers pursued Holmes. The agency said the officers believed Holmes fired in their direction, and that one of the officers did.
A preliminary investigation determined that Holmes had not been hit by any of the bullets fired by the officers and died of self-inflicted injuries, the police said. However, his cause of death has yet to be confirmed by authorities or the county coroner.
Also on March 8, the ministry released a briefing related to the murder of Jason Resendez. A 47-year-old man was shot dead by Phoenix police officers on 29th and Madison Streets. Resendes said he died on February 22nd—the same day as Holmes.
The footage shows two police officers approaching Resendez during a stolen vehicle investigation. He took a gun out of his waistband and didn’t drop it for several seconds after an officer ordered him to do so.
rising death toll
So far in 2023, Phoenix police have been responsible for at least eight deaths, including six fatal shootings.
- January 3: Police shot and killed 46-year-old Cosme Medina Núñez, who was holding scissors.his family in mexico I’ve been having a hard time to return his body to his homeland.
- January 7: Police shot dead 37-year-old Kenneth Hearne, who was armed with a handgun. Hahn had shot a Scottsdale police officer the day before.
- February 11: Brian Funk, a 40-year-old man just released from prison, died after being held down by police officers, kneeling on his back and having his legs tied during his arrest.
- February 22: Holmes dies of gunshot wound. Officers opened fire on Holmes, but officials said preliminary investigations indicated the fatal injury was self-inflicted.
- February 22: Officers shoot and kill Resendez, who draws a gun as the officers approach him.
- February 25: Police shoot Matthew Anthony Sansotta, 36, dead during a DUI investigation. No body camera footage related to Sansotta’s death has yet been released.
- March 6: Police shot and killed James Saucedo, 42. Body Although his camera footage and outgoing audio have not yet been released, officers said his Saucedo shot the woman and pointed a gun at officers who arrived.
- March 7: Police shot and killed Anthony Castro, 40. Although his camera footage and audio of the call have not been released, officers say Castro was stabbing a woman when he was shot.
In 2022, Phoenix police officers shot ten people dead. According to data from Washington Post. The 2022 fatalities included 34-year-old Ali Osman, who was throwing stones at police officers. His death sparked widespread outcry last fall. His family filed a lawsuit over the shooting in February.